Wutong Deep Alley

  Wutong deep alley, a quiet and secluded path.

  Jian Tong stood at the entrance of her home, took a deep breath, and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

  Her lips still bore the imprint of that bastard's wild kiss. In three years with Mei Xuan, she had never been kissed so crazily. In her haste, she bit his arm and managed to escape. The string of numbers he wrote on her hand, Jian Tong only saw clearly on the bus, was not a bank card number, but a phone number! Did he think she would still contact him? Unless she was crazy!

  Just lost Mei Xuan, and now I've encountered this devil. It's really an unlucky year. Later, I must take a good bath to wash away the aura left on his body by that bastard.

  The old town where Jian Tong's family lived was filled with rows of Japanese-style small buildings. Each household had a small courtyard, and the entrance to each street was lined with tall phoenix trees. This is why the street was called "Phoenix Street". Mother said that Jian Tong's name also came from the phoenix tree.

  Jian Tong walked into the house, and his mother, Yuan Jinglan, was still awake, sitting under the dim lamp, knitting a sweater. From the side, his mother's figure had already shown signs of aging and hunchback.

  Jian Tong painfully snatched the sweater away, "Mom, I've told you not to work so hard. It's not cold in winter now, one down jacket is enough, no need to wear a sweater."

  Yuan Jinglan smiled kindly, "Anyway, it's not a big deal. Besides, which mother would think that making clothes for her own child is tiring? Those are the joys of being a mom."

  Jian Tong's heart ached and he handed the sweater back to his mom, "Why don't you change to a higher wattage light bulb? This one is too harsh on the eyes."

  Yuan Jinglan smiled and didn't say anything.

  Jian Tong turned around with a difficult expression, "Don't worry about this electricity bill. I'll be graduating soon and I can earn money!"

  Yuan Jinglan lowered her eyelids and smiled, "Have you been drinking? Mom will make a bowl of hangover soup for you?"

  Jian Tong's face turned red, "Mom, no need. I'm your daughter, can't I even handle this little bit of wine?" In fact, the wine just now was quite potent, Jian Tong had inherited a great capacity for alcohol from her father and mother, so drinking that small amount of cocktail wouldn't have made her drunk at all. It's just that she wasn't in a good mood, so the effects of the wine took hold.

  Jian Tong's grandfather was once the owner of the largest wine house in this city. Every year on the day when new wine is opened, people from all over the village would gather to buy new wine. Later, due to political reasons, Jian Tong's family declined. His mother inherited the secret recipe for brewing and has been barely supporting a small workshop these years. The first floor of their house facing the street was used as a storefront, with his mother being one of the three workers.

  In this era where good wine is afraid of deep alleys, Mom's small winery doesn't make any money. But Mom has been struggling to maintain it. Jian Tong understands that she is fulfilling her father's last wish. So even if it's hard and difficult, Jian Tong supports Mom in continuing the small winery, even if only one person comes to buy every day, it will make Mom happy.

  Mom turned around to pour tea for Jian Tong, "Tong Tong, did you encounter something unhappy when you went drinking? Don't keep it to yourself, tell mom."

  Jian Tong stood in the dim light behind his mother, his heart skipped a beat, and he almost shed tears. But he forced himself to hold back, trying hard to smile, "Where is it? Mom, I'm actually happy. My application to stay on campus has been approved. You should be at ease now, mom, I'll make lots and lots of money and come back. You won't have to work so hard anymore."

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